Gluten Free Lemon Shortbread Cookies

With their buttery crisp, tender texture and a hint of citrus, these Gluten Free Lemon Shortbread Cookies melt in your mouth, offering the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. Whether you enjoy them plain or turn them into the cutest Christmas Wreath Cookies, this recipe makes a beautiful addition to any Holiday Cookie Box.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten Free Flour:  I have tested this recipe for Gluten Free Lemon Shortbread Cookies with my Cup4Cup Copycat Flour Blend, King Arthur Measure for Measure and Bob's Red Mill 1-1. While these gluten free blends work wonderfully in this shortbread cookie recipe, there are a few notable differences in the results. For the flakiest lemon shortbread, I recommend using my Cup4Cup Flour Blend. However, keep in mind that these cookies may bake up a bit airy and uneven. So if you are a perfectionist and want the cookies to be fairly flat for decorating, I recommend using a flour like King Arthur Measure for Measure or Bob's Red Mill 1-1. No matter which blend you choose, make sure the flour contains xanthan gum. If your blend doesn’t, simply add about ¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum to the dry ingredients.

Butter:  Unsalted Butter is a key ingredient in making lemon shortbread cookies. For this recipe, we’re using cold, unsalted butter - straight from the fridge. The cold butter doesn’t fully incorporate into the cookie dough; instead, it breaks into tiny pieces throughout the mixture. This technique helps create light, flaky layers, similar to a pie crust. If needed, you can substitute dairy-free butter, and it will still work beautifully in this recipe.

Granulated Sugar: This adds a subtle crunch and helps create a crisp texture in the shortbread. It also enhances the buttery flavor by caramelizing slightly during baking.

Powdered Sugar: This adds a softer, melt-in-your-mouth quality to the cookies. It dissolves more easily in the dough, resulting in a smoother texture. The cornstarch typically present in powdered sugar also helps make the gluten free shortbread tender and crumbly.

Lemons: Gluten Free Lemon Shortbread Cookies wouldn’t be complete without plenty of fresh lemon flavor. I use lemon zest in the cookie dough as well as some fresh lemon juice. Additionally, I use freshly squeezed lemon juice in the lemon glaze, amplifying that tangy sweetness.

Gluten Free Lemon Shortbread Cookie Dough

If you have made my gluten free sugar cookies or even gluten free animal crackers before you know I am not a fan of cutout cookies that spread. I prefer cutout cookies that hold their shape and have clean edges. While almost every shortbread cookie dough recipe starts with creaming room temperature butter and sugars until light and fluffy, my recipe for Lemon Shortbread Cookies starts with cold butter. This helps create a dough that’s easier to work with bakes up with crisp edges, and delivers that classic shortbread texture - light, flaky, and melt-in-your-mouth.

1. Combine the gluten free multi purpose flour and kosher salt in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cold, unsalted butter (cut into small pieces), granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and the zest of one lemon.
3. With the mixer running on low speed, mix just until the butter pieces are coated in sugar. Do not cream the butter and sugar - incorporating air into the mixture will cause the dough to spread during baking.
4. Next add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, and dry ingredients to the sugar butter mixture.
5. With the mixer running on low, mix everything together. This may take up to 1-2 minutes but the dough will slowly come together. It will first look like a streusel mixture (See Image 3)
6. Be patient—this process may take up to a minute, but the dough will eventually come together.
7. Once the dough turns into a smooth shortbread cookie dough, transfer it to a clean kitchen counter and quickly knead it together into a smooth dough.

Rolling out Shortbread Cookie Dough

While testing this recipe for gluten-free lemon shortbread cookies, I discovered it’s much easier to roll out the dough immediately rather than shaping it into a disk and letting it rest. Rolling it out right away saves time and makes the dough more manageable.

1. Place the shortbread dough on a piece of parchment paper and with clean hands press it out into an ½" inch disk. This will make rolling out a lot easier.
2. Lay a second sheet of parchment paper over the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough between the two sheets until it's about ¼ inch (around 6 millimeters) thick.
3. To make the rolling process smoother, I like to turn the dough over a few times. This helps prevent sticking and ensures even thickness. I also peek under the parchment paper occasionally to check the dough's progress and ensure it’s rolled out evenly.
4. Once the dough is rolled out, place it on a sheet tray, cover it with a lid or plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour. This resting time helps develop the flavor and ensures the cookies will hold their shape when baked. (At this point the dough for Gluten Free Lemon Shortbread Cookies can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days)

Baking Lemon Shortbread Cookies

I love using these lemon shortbread cookies to make the cutest Holiday Wreath Cookies. Of course, you can cut them any other shape you like and finish the cookies with the lemon glaze or just some powdered sugar. Make sure to adjust baking times accordingly.

To make the wreath cookies, I use a 3-inch scalloped round cookie cutter for the wreath and a 1-inch plain round cutter for the center. If you don’t have cutters in those sizes, no worries. You can use a glass for the larger shape and a large piping tip for the center cutout.

1. Line two baking trays with sheets of parchment paper. The amount of sheet trays needed depends on the size of your cookie cutters. I like to aim for 9 cookies per sheet tray.
2. Remove the chilled dough from the fridge and with 3" scalloped round cookie cutter cut out the wreaths. Make sure to cut the cookies as close as possible to get a better yield each time you roll out the dough.
3. With a smaller round cookie cutter cut out the centers of the wreaths.

4. Using a small offset knife, transfer the cut out lemon shortbread cookies to the prepared baking sheet. Be sure to avoid overcrowding the trays and leave enough space between the cookies to allow for proper airflow during baking.
5. Repeat the cutting process with the dough scraps.
6. Once all the dough has been rolled out and cut, place the cookies in the freezer to chill while you preheat the oven to 350°F. If you can only fit one sheet in the freezer, place one tray in the freezer while the second tray can rest in the fridge. Freezing the cookie dough before baking will ensure that the cookies to hold their shape.
7. When the oven is fully preheated, bake the cookies one sheet at a time. Place the second tray in the freezer while the first batch bakes.
8. Bake the shortbread cookies at 350°F for 10-11 minutes, depending on the size of your cookie cutters. The cookies should be slightly puffed, with their edges turning lightly golden brown. I typically don’t let mine brown any more than a faint hint.
9. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
10. Repeat the process with the remaining tray of cut-out shortbread cookie dough.

Decorating Holiday Wreath Cookies

Make sure the gluten free lemon shortbread cookies are completely cooled before dipping them into the lemon glaze or turning them into Holiday Wreath Cookies. This step is crucial for the glaze to set properly. I use some sugared rosemary and little red pearls (I picked those out of a Gluten Free Holiday Sprinkle Mix). You can probably find something similar in the sprinkle section of your local craft store or even Grocery Store.

1. To make the lemon glaze, combine the powdered sugar, corn syrup (optional), lemon juice and a pinch of kosher salt in a small bowl. If you’d like, add the vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
2. To check the consistency, take a spoonful of icing and let it drip back into the bowl. It should flow smoothly and leave a trail that disappears in about 5-10 seconds. If it’s too thin, mix in a little more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a tiny amount of water or lemon juice.
3. Gently dip the top of the cookie into the glaze, ensuring it’s fully covered but not submerged. Do not dunk the whole cookie into the glaze; only dip the portion you want to glaze. Let the excess glaze drip back into the bowl.
4. If there are any air bubbles I like to poke them with a toothpick.
5. Garnish the Christmas Wreath Cookies with some sugared rosemary (or plain rosemary) and red pearls. You can also leave the cookies plain or just decorate them with some sprinkles or some additional lemon zest.
6. Place the dipped cookies on a wire rack or parchment paper and let them sit until the glaze hardens. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour depending on the thickness of the glaze.

Storage & Freezing

Before storing, let the frosted lemon shortbread cookies sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until the frosting is fully set and firm. This ensures the frosting won’t smear or stick to other cookies. Store the gluten-free shortbread cookies in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out. If you're stacking the cookies, place a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between them to keep the frosting from sticking. The cookies should stay fresh for 4-5 days.

While you can freeze baked shortbread cookies, I prefer freezing the unbaked cookies and baking them from frozen.

To freeze unbaked cut out cookies, place the baking sheet with the cut out shortbread cookies in the freezer for 1-2 hours or until the cookies are completely frozen solid. Freezing them individually prevents them from sticking together. After freezing, transfer the cookies to an airtight container or a freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper to avoid sticking. Label the container with the date, and store for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen cookies directly on a lined baking sheet. There’s no need to thaw - just bake them for an additional 1-2 minutes to compensate for the frozen dough.

Why Did My Shortbread Cookies Spread?

There are several reasons why your gluten free lemon shortbread cookies may have spread during baking:

• Warm Butter: If the butter is too warm, it can cause the dough to spread more than desired. For gluten-free shortbread, make sure the butter is cold to help the dough hold its shape.
• Overmixing: Overmixing the dough can incorporate too much air, which causes the cookies to spread. Mix just enough to combine the ingredients without overworking the dough.
• Not Freezing the Dough: Failing to freeze the cut-out cookies before baking can also lead to spreading. Freezing the cookies for about 30 minutes before baking helps them maintain their shape during the bake.

FAQ - Gluten Free Lemon Shortbread Cookies

Note about Salt in my Recipes

I use Diamond Kosher Crystal Salt in all of my recipes unless otherwise stated. If use use a different brand or kind of salt in your kitchen please adjust accordingly since some salts can be saltier. If you use Morton’s Kosher Salt please be aware that their salt granules are smaller in size, denser, and crunchier and twice as salty.

Baking in grams

I share my recipes in grams and by weight since baking by weight is the most accurate way to bake. Digital Scales are very affordable and easy to use. You can purchase them on Amazon for less than a set of measuring cups. For small amounts under 10 grams, I like to use this Precision Pocket Scale. Measuring cups are very inaccurate which can cause significant errors when it comes to gluten-free baking or baking in general. Especially since I bake with gluten-free flours which weigh differently than “regular” flours. I do provide some ingredients like spices and leavening agents in measuring spoons. To learn more about Baking with a digital scale, make sure to check out my post about Baking by weight.

Note about Ovens and Oven Temperatures

All my recipes are tested and developed with a conventional oven. I always bake my baked goods on the rack placed in the MIDDLE of my oven. This way the heat coming from the bottom will not burn my baked goods.

If you are baking with convection (fan-forced), please adjust the recipes accordingly. Convection oven can cause baked goods to dry out quickly and still be raw inside. Since takes at least 15-20 minutes for a standard American Oven to be fully preheated. I highly recommend investing in an Oven Thermometer.

Substitutions and Modifications

Any dietary or ingredient modifications/substitutions to this recipe may alter the end result in appearance and taste. I test my recipes several times as published in this post and The Gluten Free Austrian Blog is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe you find on our website.